Smoking chambers are known in the form of open systems and in the form of closed systems. In the open systems the smoke is supplied substantially continuously to the respective chamber and is removed again from the chamber via an outlet after circulation. In the closed or substantially closed systems the smoke is guided in a circuit for predeterminable time intervals, which results in a corresponding increase in the smoke concentration.
These known systems can be operated with smoulder smoke (in German "Glimmrauch") typically using a sawdust smoke generator, with friction smoke (in German "Reibrauch") and also with steam smoke (in German "Dampfrauch"). The direction of flow of smoke produced by various smoke generating systems can be reversed in the smoke house from time to time. The smoked effect which is sought results from condensation effects in conjunction with the impingement of the smoke particles on the products to be smoked. These processes influence the colour and taste of the particular products which are located in the smoke house.
A problem in all known types of smoke houses is the fact, in particular having regard to the regulations for the protection of the environment, that exhausted smoke with a high carbon content is created and is led into the outside environment, with it being particularly unfavourable that in many cases it is necessary to operate with a relatively high smoke density in order to obtain the desired smoked effect.
The principal object underyling the invention is thus to substantially reduce the smoke density in the smoke house, and thereby to also largely overcome the air pollution problem originating from exhausted smoke, while retaining the smoking paper, i.e. the efficiency of the relevant smoke house with regard to the effects on the taste and colour of the particular products.
This object is satisfied, in accordance with the invention, essentially in that the smoke particles are subjected to thrusting pulses, at least in the area of the products to be smoked, which accelerate the particles, in particular towards the products to be smoked.